Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-11-03
Graat Gonntg 4erala,
Our South American Comnetitors-

going on sat the other end of the hemi-
sphere" but still more to find how
absurd have been the dim ideas float
ing about in his brain since the geogra-
; ply descriptions of these countries set
them going. Picking up geography
recently published five years ago one
reads that the Argentine Republic is
noted for its extensive plains called
Pampas, and that in the west it is an
elevated desert Astounding in salt"
that Uruguay is about like the Repub-
lie and that Patagonia is a wild waste
region inhabited by tribes of wander
ing Indians This information is
about the sum and substance of what
the majority of people know of the fer
tility and resources of the south Ameri-
can states. The valley of the Rio de la
Plata, which includes all the temper
ate zone of South America except Chill
has advantages surprising those of any
nation on earth. The pampas are like
our own prairies, the uninhabitable
wastes of Patagonia have developed into
the richest pastures, where upon the
uplands, millions of cattle can be fed
and sheltered.
Mr.. Curtis says that we shall be
reused from our indifference when we
find ourselves driven out of the mar
kets for breadstuffs and provisions
which we ignorantly think permanent
possession. 1t costs, the writer says, fifty
dollars to place a carcass of Chicago
dressed beef in the London markets.
The Argentine Republic ships from
seven to ten thousand carcasses a month
at one half that sum. In 1884 they be-
gan to export cereals, in 1886 wheat,
. rye and corn to the value of nearly
seven million and half dollars were
shipped to Brazil and Great Britain.
The expectations for 1887 will be ten
million and from Uruguay one third
more. We now send from seven to ten
million dollars worth of flour to Brazil.
Mills are being erected to reduce the
wheat of the Argentine Republic and
it will not be long before we lose our
market for breadstuff5 on the East coast
the west coast. If ocean ships could
land at Denver and Minneapolis, if we
could deliver beef cattle at tide-water
AT ten or twelve dollars head and
wheat at 60 cents bushei we
might compete with them.
Single ranches exist in the Argentine
Republic which for area enclosed by
wire fences and for the number of cat
tie branded are larger than fonr of the
largest in the United States combined
In 1885 there were forty one million
sheep in the United States, seventy-two
millions in Australia, and one hundred
millions in the Argentine Republic.
We have two thirds of q sheep to every
inhabitant; in the Argentine Republic
there are twenty-five sheep, and in
Uruguay forty sheep, to every man,
woman, and child. We have forty
millions OF horned cattle to a popula-
ton of sixty millions; the Argentine
Republic and Uruguay, have thirty
eight millions of cattle to population
Of four and half millions. In Uruguay
with population of five hundred thous-
and souls, there are eight millions Of
cattle. twenty millions of sheep. two
million horses, or sixty head of stock
for each man, woman, and child. Fiji
teen million dollars has been invested
in wire fences in Uruguay alone, and
more than twice as much in the Argen-
tine Republic.
During the last twenty-five years the
population of the Argentine Republic
has increased 154 per cent, whilo that
of the United States has increased but
10 per cent, aud the city of Buenos
Ayres is growing faster than Mime
apolis or Denver Last year it received
$4,000 immigrants from Europe, and
the natural increase is very large. The
newcomers are mostly Italians and
Basques, with a sprinkling of Ger
mans, Swiss and Sweedes. To tempt
the immigrants into the agricultural
districts the government has enacted
land laws even more liberal than ours.
Each head OF family is entitled to
$50 acres free. and as much more as
he desires to purchase, to limit of
1900 acres, at about seventy-fge cents
an acre in our money. Or the settler
may acquire 1900 acres free after five
years by planting 200 acres to grain
and twenty-four acres TO timber Free
transportation from Buenos Ayres TO
the place of location is granted to all
settlers aud their families, exemption
from taxation for ten years. colonization
societies are organized which issue bonds
guaranteed by the government, the
the proceeds of which are loaned to the
settlers in sums not greater than $1,000,
for five years, with interest at six per
cent, upon the cultivation of a certain
amount OF land aud the erection of a
certain amount of improvements. The
results of these benefcent laws are con-
spicuous. In 1886 nearly nine hundred
thousand acres of wild land were
ploughed and planted One firm in
Buenos Ayres sold 1900 reapers man
utactured in the United States, and
other firms lesser number; elevators
are being erected upon the banks of the
rivers, from which wheat is loaded into
vessels for Brazil and Europe, and the
average crop was twenty-five bushels
of wheat to the acre.
Modern ideas and inventions are
eagerly siezed by the Argeutines. The
estanciere (ranchman) now goes 10 his
camp on Pullman car, he talks over
telephone with the superintendent
of his ranch and siaughters his cattle
by electric light. Buenos Ayres seems
more like Chicago than any place south
of Mason snd Dixons line. Five hun